Toronto Star, January 11, 1995; March 19, 1995. "Blair, Bonnie Join Facebook to connect with Bonnie Blair and others you may know. Witteman, Paul A. She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. In fact, Charlie Blair had his children at a competition while his youngest child was being born. 5 What actress portrayed. [34][35] At the 1993 World Sprint Championships, Blair did not win any of her four races finishing behind rival Ye Qiabo. TOP 22 QUOTES BY BONNIE BLAIR | A-Z Quotes "Bonnie's bounty." 1994); Steve Rushin, "Child of Innocence: Bonnie Blair Grew up with the Ideal That CompetingNot Just WinningIs Everything," Sports Illustrated (19 Dec. 1994); and Steve Rushin, "The Last Lap: After Racing to Another World Title, Bonnie Blair Leaves the U.S. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie, "Blair, Bonnie Notable Sports Figures. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. It was the first time a woman had won two Olympic gold medals for the 500-meter event in two successive Winter Olympics. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, winning five gold medals and one bronze medal. By the time of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta, Blair was regarded as one of the hopes for the future of American speed skating. Watch a short video featuring Bonnie Blair. Speed skating coach Bob Fenn told Angus Phillips of Washington Post in 1992, "From a technical standpoint, she's the most efficient skater in the whole world. [34] At the 1994, U.S. Olympic long-track trials at the Pettit National Ice Center, Blair set track records in the first round of the 500 meter and 1,000 meter trails. Bonnie Blair Cruikshank - The National Speedskating Museum She was the first Canadian woman to win a medal in speed skating. Bonnie Blair (1928-1977) FamilySearch She was named as the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and the USOC Sportswoman of the Year. As Jere Longman wrote in the New York Times, "Blair has no mountains to climb. In 1992, Blair received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement. Parrish, Paula. Blair came from a family of avid skaters and began entering races when she was four years old. After fellow speed skater Johann Olav Koss founded Right to Play in 2000, he recruited Blair to serve as one of the charities first celebrity ambassadors. Bonnie Blair Cruikshank talks US speed skating in Olympics - TMJ4 Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures, Skoblikova, Lydia She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. Bonnie Blair - Net Worth 2022, Salary, Age, Siblings, Bio, Family, Career Blair wanted to continue to train for the 1984 Olympics and beyond, but had problems getting funding for her training. Showing Editorial results for bonnie blair. Bonnie's Bounty - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com places to practice were in Europe. Though she did well at the meet, she did not make the team. Bonnie Blair | Encyclopedia.com "Skating first." Jenkins, Sally. [45] She also was Female Athlete of the Year as selected by the Associated Press in 1994. At the 1985 National Sports Festival, Blair swept the gold medals in all four women's short-track skating races, and won another gold as a member of a men's 5,000-meter relay team. Brand, David. (With Greg Brown) A Winning Edge, Taylor, 1996. Blair won two gold medals in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville and her final two Olympic gold medals at the 1994 Lillehammer games. Bonnie Blair. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, winning five gold medals and one bronze medal. During her gold medal-winning race, she also set a world's record with a time of 39.1 seconds. Blair first donned skates at the age of two, and was competing as a speed skater by the age of four. By the time she was four years old, Blair was racing, and she loved it, competing against her older brothers and sisters and others in elementary and junior high school. She hired a different coach, Nick Thometz, who emphasized something different for Blair: explosive drills over strength and distance training. Blair trained every morning before school and her discipline paid off; at age fifteen she qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials, but narrowly missed making the team. Brownlee, Shannon. Sports Illustrated (January 27, 1988): 236. [46] In 2004, she was elected to the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. When was Bonnie Parker born? By the time she was in grade school, speed skating had become her number-one leisure activity. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Parry, Melanie, ed. [37] Blair's success at Lillehammer placed her among the most decorate American Olympians of all time. 23 Feb. 2023 . [32] Blair won her second gold of the 1992 Olympics in the 1,000 meters (1:21.90). She became almost as well known for her entourage of family and friendsa group deemed the Blair Bunch that had grown to more than 60 people by 1994who went with her to each of her Olympic competitions to cheer her on from the stands. The coaching switch took place ten months before the 1992 Olympics. She was considered the best American hope for a medal, and did not disappoint. [10] Later that year, Blair appeared at her first Olympic games at age 19 in Sarajevo. Blair was also the first American speed skater to win in more than one Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994). [2] Blair's family friends in the stands, affectionately known as the "Blair Bunch," became a staple of her competitive career. Also, Jack Sikma, a In her teens, Blair began to apply herself to the sport of speed skating as she never had before, largely at the encouragement of her friend Dave Silk, who competed on the men's U.S. team. She lived up to the hype by winning a gold medal in the 500 meters and a bronze in the 1000 meters. Jenkins, Sally. She was so small at the time that her parents could not find skates that fit her, so she had to wear shoes under her skates. (February 23, 2023). After the Albertville games ended, Blair again took the opportunity created by her celebrity. From early in her career, Blair's father was convinced that she would win Olympic Gold. ABC-CLIO, 1996. She holds five gold medals, for the 500-meter and 1,000-meter events, as well as a bronze medal for the 1,000-meter event. She also managed the oval built for the Calgary games after the Oympics ended for a number of years. She was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. [16] Blair won both the 500 meter and 1500 meter at the West Allis event, and was considered one of the U.S. team's strongest medal contenders. During this last season, she shattered her world record time for the 500-meter sprint twice. She also set a world record for the 500-meter event in Heerenveen, Holland, at the end of the 1987 season. Blair was born in Cornwall, New York to Charlie and Eleanor Blair. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speedskater. Bonnie Parker, outlaw partner of Clyde Barrow, was born at Rowena, Texas, on October 1, 1910, to Henry and Emma Parker. Although she was small for a speed skater, Blairs technique was nearly flawless. At the Olympic Games, Blair had the support of her family, the so-called "Blair Bunch" which consisted of immediate and extended family members who attended a number of her more important races en masse. Winning doesn't always mean being first. [7][39] Less than a month after Lillehammer Olympics, Blair set another world record in the 500 meters, becoming the first female to complete the race in under 39 seconds, achieving a time of 38.99 seconds. Myrtle was born on July 26 1899, in Manassa, Conejos, Colorado, United States. In fact, Charlie Blair had his children at a competition while his youngest child was being born. ." When Blair was sixteen, she competed at her first Olympic trials for the 1980 Winter Olympics. World class track-and-field athlete [19] She followed up her World Cup titles in by setting her first world record in the 500 meters with a time 39.43 seconds. A short biography of Blair is Cathy Breitenbucher, Bonnie Blair: Golden Streak (1994). She embarked on a whirlwind travel schedule in Europe, taking on the world's best. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. "Blair, Bonnie Imperial Oil Web Site. [20] Blair continued on to the 1995 World Championships in her adopted home town of Milwaukee. The . Bonnie Elaine BlaIr (1925 - 2016) - Genealogy Chambers, 1997. See also Alexander Wolff, "Bonnie's Bounty: Unassuming Bonnie Blair Sped to Victory in 1,000 Meters to Become the U.S.'s Most Gilded Woman Olympian Ever," Sports Illustrated (7 Mar. How many siblings does Bonnie Blair have? Corrections? [14] After the 1984 Olympics, Blair worked closely with coach Mike Crowe to improve her skating skills to compete with the powerful East German skaters. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Speed skater who received Olympic gold medals in 1988, 1992, and 1994. She contracted a severe case of bronchitis that affected her breathing. Great Women in Sports. [27] Blair also took a break from skating, enrolling in Montana Technological University. Immediate Family: Daughter of ALONZA LONNIE RATLIFF and MAUDE RATLIFF. She was born to Wayne and Delma (Guenzler) Blair on June 9 th 1951. Blair knew how to win and took advantage of it. At the time, Blair trained in both short-track and long-track speed skating. A year later she twice set a world record for the 500-metre event on the standard circuit. We can also contact her at bonnie.hoellein@gmail.com for more information. That's where Bonnie, born in Illinois, moved to train. She was the youngest of six children, all of whom learned to skate at an early age. Team", "Winter Olympics: Calgary: BLAIR WITH HER: U.S.'s Leading Skater Hopes She's Worth Her Weight in Gold", "Winter Olympics: In Flash of a Skate, Blair Wins the Gold, Sets Record in 500", "GOLD: Blair has decade of Olympic thoughts to remember", "No Endorsement Windfall Seen For The Stars Of Calgary Games", "Sports World Specials: Cycling: A Smooth-as-Ice Switch", "The Olympics Winter Games at Albertville: Blair Is Golden for 500 Meters: Speedskating: In a popular victory, she becomes the first woman to win the event in consecutive Olympics", "Blair Wins Second Gold by a Skate: Speedskating: She beats Ye by 0.02 seconds to become most decorated U.S. woman in Winter Olympics history", "SPEEDSKATING: Blair Pushes Herself to Two Records", "ESPN Classic - Blair marches to record fifth gold medal", "Blair earns high five in Olympic farewell LIillehammer '94", "How speed skaters and Right to Play are inspiring kids around the world", "New Blair on big oval: Bonnie's daughter is a speedskater", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", "Notable US Olympic Hall of Fame inductees", "Bonnie Blair Cruikshank paints star on Flag of Hope", "Cover Story: Weddings of the Year Vol. In 1979 she began training with Cathy Priestner, a Canadian speed skater who had won a silver medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics. Dec 6, 2013. [5]:44 The breathing problem lingered through the 1991 World Sprint Championships where she finished fifth. Occupation Singer Family Father - David Glyndwr Hopkins Mother - Elsie Hopkins Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bonnie-blair. Though Blair briefly considered not competing in the 1992 games, she told Douglas S. Looney of Sports Illustrated, "Skating has always been a pleasure and a joy. She won the 1989 World Championship, setting a new world record in the overall event; finished second in 1990; and placed fifth in 1991, her worst finish in six years. (She finished fourth in the 1500 meter race.) Cazeneuve, Brian. login . [39] The Blair Bunch, the name given to Blair's family and friends, accounted for 12% of the crowd at the Pettit National Ice Center. Bonnie Kathleen Blair is the most decorated woman in Winter Olympic history. Omissions? Sports Illustrated (March 6, 1989): 32. [5]:44 Confidence in coach Crowe had waned in the lead up to the 1988 Olympics, Blair helped to recruit Peter Mueller to coach the U.S. team. Bonnie Blair | Biography & Facts | Britannica Cruikshank's mother is five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair and her dad is four-time Olympian Dave Cruikshank. At fifteen, Blair was named to the U.S. speed skating team. [5]:44, Blair again competed at Olympics in 1992, this time held in Albertville, France. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Photos and Memories (0) Do you know Bonnie? The only real competition came internationally, but because of her lack of training in 1989-91, she did not have much success in races in 1990-91. [2] The family moved to Champaign, Illinois when Bonnie was a toddler. child of innocence - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com She dominated the 500-meter and 1,000-meter women's events at three consecutive Olympic Games during her career. "Introspective Blair Rebuffs Outside World in Pursuit of Gold." Bonnie Blair At the time, Blair worked as the secretary of the Retail Clerks International Union, which has since become part of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1529. Her winning time was slower than her record setting pace in Calgary, however, the venue in Albertville was outdoors creating conditions which were less conducive for speed skating. 1. Her hard work paid off when in 1985, she won the U.S. sprint championship. Olympic speed skating competitions were conducted differently. 2. Williams, Lena. View the profiles of people named Bonnie Blair. Blair Cruikshank, Bonnie Blair's Daughter, Skates In International Race American track and field athlete Blair's European trip had the desired effect, sharpening her skills for more competition. Christensen, Karen, et al., eds. She won five gold medals and one bronze over her career. She did not medal, but finished eighth in the 500-meter race. Bonnie Blair Biography - Began Skating, Competed At Olympic - JRank Blair entered the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, Canada, as a veteran of hundreds of races, a world record holder, and the favorite to win the 500-meter event. She began training with Cathy Priestner, who had won a silver medal in speed skating for Canada in the 1976 games, at the University of Illinois rink. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. Bonnie Parker first met Clyde Barrow through a mutual friend in January 1930, when Bonnie was 19 years old. She also took these titles in 1995. Blair began to succeed on the international speed skating stage. Now unquestionably a star, in 1994 Blair went on to her third Winter Olympics, which were held in Lille-hammer, Norway. She and her husband, fellow speed skater Dave Cruikshank, made their home in Milwaukee, and Blair kept up a heavy travel schedule, flying to different cities around the country to meet various corporate endorsement obligations. The victories led to more endorsements, and even more important to Blair, the popularity of speed skating. When training in Milwaukee, she enrolled at Parkland College but did not graduate. "Bonnie Blair is a 5-4 Colossus on Skates." Blair returned to the Olympics in 1988 competing in long-track at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Lionel Blair: Veteran TV presenter and dancer dies at 92 . Encyclopedia.com. Parker, Bonnie (1910-1934). As Blair approached the final 400 meters, Mueller gave the signal. Washington Post (January 2, 1992): D3. Blair remained a popular figure in Champaign for many years, and was even given the key to the city. The Blair Bunch was back even stronger at the 1992 Games in Albertville, France, with about 45 members swaying in unison in their purple team jackets and singing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." She did some television commentary for speed skating. Another problem for Blair was the lack of competition among the American women speed skaters in the late 1980s and early 1990s. New York Times (February 19, 1995): section 8, p. 1. She repeated her victories in both 500m and 1000m speed. Blair was born on March 18, 1964, in Cornwall, New York, the youngest of six children. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? [24] Blair responded to the challenge with her best start ever in the 500 meters, winning the gold medal in world record time of 39.10 seconds. [3] She participated in her first skating meet at age 4. Blair made the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and competed in the 500-meter event at the Winter Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. She was raised in Illinois, but she moved to Milwaukee to further her speed-skating career. Since her retirement from competition in 1995 at the age of 31, she has turned her stellar Olympic performances into a successful career as a motivational speaker and corporate spokesperson. What Happened To American Speed Skater Bonnie Blair? - Grunge.com Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, winning five gold medals and one bronze medal. Of the six, five were gold, making Blair the only American woman to ever win five gold medals in the games. Blair was born on March 18, 1964, in Cornwall, New York, the youngest of six children. Encyclopedia.com. I don't see any torture in this at all.". Blair's only disappointment was finishing 21st in the 1500 meter race. Blair won events at 1984, 1985 and 1986 short-track world championships and was the 1986 overall short-track world champion. Overall, Blair won 4 of 18 women's medals at the 1987 World Cup; East German skaters, including Rothenburger, won 13. Genealogy profile for Bonnie Elaine BlaIr Bonnie Elaine BlaIr (1925 - 2016) - Genealogy Genealogy for Bonnie Elaine BlaIr (1925 - 2016) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. It was another first for a female athleteno other woman had ever won five Olympic gold medals for individual events. Sports Illustrated (March 7, 1988): 50. Bonnie Blair (Speed Skater) Wiki, Biography, Age, Husband, Family, Net Though four of Blair's other siblings went on to win national championships, it was Blair who did the best as a competitive speed skater. Wife of William Edgar Blair. It's a solitary sport, one in which you can claim all the rewards as your own. Blair, whose stage and screen career spanned eight decades, died early on Thursday morning. . "He's the hardest worker on the team," Blair later told Angus Phillips in the Washington Post, "and he got me into that, too. [4] At age 7, Blair won her age group at the Illinois Speed Skating Championship. seventeenth century), https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie, http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/blairbon.shtml, http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0109013.html, https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bonnie-blair, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie, Begins competing as member of national speed skating team, Competes at the Olympic trials, but does not make team, Wins Olympic gold and bronze at Winter Olympic Games, Wins two Olympic golds at Winter Olympic Games, Retires from competitive speed skating; becomes motivational speaker, Marries speed skater Dave Cruikshank on June 23, Won Illinois state championship in speed skating for age group, Won gold medal in Olympics speed skating in 500 meters, Won gold medals in 500 meter and 1000 meter at Olympics in speed skating, Won gold in 500 meters at World Championships, Won gold medals in 500 meters and 1000 meters at Winter Olympic Games in speed skating; won gold in 500 meters and 1000 at World Sprint Championships and World Cup; named Babe Zaharis Female Amateur Athlete of the Year; named Sportswoman of the Year by Women's Sports Foundation, Set 500 meters speed skating world record at Calgary; retired in March as speed skater; named Sportswoman of the Year by Women's Sports Foundation; won world sprint championship, Given Sports Humanitarian Award, World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. ." The following summer Blair moved to Butte, Montana, where she enrolled at the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology. Bonnie Blair Sports, Goal, Physical Attraction 15 Copy quote Four key words--helped make my dreams come true. "Bonnie Blair Encyclopedia.com. She had an older brother, Hubert (Buster), and a younger sister, Billie. It was an expensive undertaking, but with the help of her family, friends, and money from the Champaign police department, Blair was able to go. Blair told Brian Cazeneuve of The Sporting News, "I'm the one who puts pressure on myself. Blair later ran on her high school track team, where, she later claimed, she did not stand out among her peers. Also at the 1988 Olympics, Blair won the bronze medal for the 1,000-meter event. Bonnie Blair Facts for Kids Address: c/o 306 White Pine Rd., Delafield, WI 53018-1124. [12][13] She failed to medal and finished eighth in the 500 meters. Beatrice Blair (Ratliff) (1929 - 1976) - Genealogy For example, Blair finished fifth in the 1991 World Sprint Championships, though she was also suffering from bronchitis at the time. She also was a cheerleader and on student council. At the 1984 Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now in Bosnia and Herzegovina), she could finish no better than eighth in the 500-metre event. She also began serving on the board for U.S. [28] The win made Blair the first U.S. woman to win a world sprint championship in nearly a decade. She became the first American woman to win five gold Olympic medals and the first American Winter Olympian to win six career medals.
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